Pueblog USa
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Keeping Things ‘Wild’
Is it REALLY so ‘smart’?
There’s an editorial in the Chieftain today about how our Congressperson….who wouldn’t show up for a discussion of healthcare reform last August….was doing something to expand ‘wilderness areas’ in Colorado.
I’ve been pondering this ‘wilderness area’ business for a year or so now and I’m not convinced that it is, in fact, what should be considered ‘best practices’.
There are three aspects of research that I’d like to see the ‘research’ that was done in establishing such areas.
• What is the impact on public access to areas that are declared to be ‘wilderness’?
• What is the impact on safety in such areas and the areas in the immediate vicinity?
• What is the use of ‘Wilderness Area’ designation doing in terms of budgetary considerations?
What are my potential ‘points’ in this?
Well….to put it frankly….
....I’m concerned that the use of ‘wilderness area’ designation is being used as a quick ‘out’ so that the government is no longer responsible for the ‘management’ of large tracts of land. As a result, trails the federal government WAS responsible for managing, to facilitate access to these rocky ‘cathedrals’ we call the mountains are no longer being maintained. Hence, public access is being reduced. Even to the point that no one goes there anymore.
Then, there’s the aspect of wild fire. If deadfall is not managed, wild fire could take hold and destroy much more than the wilderness area, by spreading to neighboring properties. Look at California.
Those are just two aspects. And there are many others. Not to forget the proliferation of predatory wildlife that would expand its range to areas outside of the designated ‘wilderness areas’. As someone recently commented to me, “I don’t think the mountain lions and bears have read the regs on wilderness areas.”
So we’ve got coyotes in Highlands Ranch? And bears eating little old ladies in Ouray?
HEY!!!! Wait a minute!!!!
Isn’t this Ouray place where the bears eat little old ladies in the vicinity of where our Congressperson wants to establish a NEW ‘wilderness area’???!?!??!
WHAT has our Congressperson got against ‘little old ladies’? Let alone ‘women’?
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